On Wednesday February 11, Liverpool Life Sciences UTC delivered the second instalment of ‘UTC Transmits’ – a series of lectures designed to challenge stereotypes and educate young people on the nature of retro viruses, vaccine and drug development.
At the event held in The University of Liverpool’s Muspratt lecture theatre, Life Sciences UTC students from Year 12 and 13 engaged with leading international academics, expert practitioners, leaders in drug discovery and people who live and work with HIV.
Beth Gwyther, Year 13 student at Liverpool Life Sciences UTC, said:
“This is the second UTC Transmits event that I’ve attended, the first event focussed on malaria, whereas today’s event has focussed on how HIV affects the body and drug development.
“UTC Transmits studies one subject from lots of different angles and perspectives – we’ve heard from professors from The University of Liverpool and consultants from the Royal and Broadgreen hospitals, but we’ve also heard from sexual health workers and people living with the virus.
“Today’s event has given me a thorough understanding of HIV including the prevention of the virus and the creation of modern vaccines.”
UTC Transmits is held in association with the event’s host, the University of Liverpool, The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, RedX Pharma, Bristol-Myers Squibb and HIV support charity, Sahir House.
Phil Lloyd, principal of Liverpool Life Sciences UTC, said:
“Events like UTC Transmits allow our students to discover new areas of academic thought, offering them a stronger understanding of key scientific and medical issues such as the treatment and prevention of HIV.
“This lecture, like all of our project-based learning (PBL) programmes, aims to bridge the gap between traditional academic qualifications and the practical skills that support young people in the world of work, further education and apprenticeships.
“By introducing our students to different forms of education that aren’t available in other institutions, we are equipping them with skills to encourage their future development. Additionally, with this event we are instilling awareness in the place of ignorance and helping our students develop an understanding of HIV and its contexts.”
Attendees present at the event included Life Sciences UTC students, members of the school’s faculty, nationally respected academics and key-speakers including Professor Bill Paxton, University of Liverpool Institute of Global Health, Dr Mas Chaponda, Consultant HIV Physician, Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital Trust and Dr Mark Lawton, Consultant Sexual Health and HIV also from Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital Trust.
UTC Transmits will continue to engage young people and stimulate academic debate with a series of programmes developed in conjunction with the country’s leading scientific figures.